Symbolism In Catcher In The Rye By J. D. Salinger

In literature, symbolism can be used to depict the problems that a main character shares with people in the real world. This is especially true with Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger as Holden faces the pressures of parents with high expectations, as well as his own contradictions of everyday society. After Holden is kicked out of yet another private school, he refuses to face his parents and siblings and instead chooses to wander the city heedlessly while learning important life lessons. As Holden wanders the city, he continues to mention multiple symbols, which all represent his insecurities as he ponders these symbols when he feels anxious. Salinger portrays Holden’s desire to remove his insecurities through the use of Holden’s hunting cap, the ducks in Central Park, and Holden’s …show more content…
This is especially true when he mentions how he wants to be the Catcher in the Rye, where he will “have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff-I mean they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them,” (173) therefore preventing them from falling off of the cliff. While his proposal would be preposterous, Salinger instead uses Holden’s interpretation of the poem to change the message of the poem from not spreading rumors and gossip to preventing a child from losing his/her innocence when they go over the cliff because of the child not seeing the edge of the cliff. He also sees Phoebe and wants to prevent what happens to him from happening to her by attempting to prevent her from losing her innocence. Salinger shows Holden’s insecurities through Holden’s interpretation of the poem in order to show how Holden becomes